Chado The Way Of The Tea

By Chandler C

By Rory H

Introduction

Tea and how it has influenced the japanese soceity. Chado means the way of the tea it is one of the biggest rituals in the japanese culture. There were some very strict rules for tea down to everyone must be trated the exact same. Even a merchats son and the shogun are treated the same at a tea ceremony it is a good was to enlighten your spirit with its elegant surroundings related to nature. The tea utensils were just as important as the tea it's self for they were prepared to the best possible conditions. The making of tea used the rules and the tea utensils at the ceremony. All this makes tea one of the most important parts of the japanese culture.


Chado The Way Of The Tea

Chado Means the way of the tea, it originated from china during 7th century Japan. Back then, you were taught about how to prepare and drink tea in school. When the samurai got back from battle, they drank tea and thanked the person above them in class and Amaterasu for helping them throughout battle. The tea is supposed to help you lighten your spirit and get your mind off the battle that just ended. This is what chado means and why it is important to the society.

Rules For Tea

The rules for tea were very demanding. They called for the following; you were to be prompt in arriving for you did not want to be the one who slowed down the ceremony. In arriving to the house, you must remove your shoes for slippers were provided to you. When the tea and snacks were served to, you were to eat all the food and drink all the tea for it is only polite to the holder of the ceremony. You supposed to turn the bowl slightly off center so that you are not drinking from the exact center of the bowl, which is considered rude. Tea utensils were to be admired for they were had picked for the occasion, and each one had a special meaning, most important rule for the guests. Two to three days afterwards, you are supposed to send a note thanking the person for inviting you to the ceremony this is called the korel or thanking afterwards it is required.


Tea Ceremony

A tea ceremony is a big deal in japan for it is how they supported each other’s ranking in the society. For example when you entered the door, swords were not allowed and everyone was looked at evenly even the shogun vs. a merchant’s son. The surroundings at the ceremony were to be Elegant surroundings enough to make Guest believe there were in a summer field. Tea is an elegant practice in which yields some people to have more inner peace and self-control.


Tea Utensils

The utensils were very important to the ceremony, each of the tea utensils where hand-picked for the occasion and were important to the religion. Some of the tea utensil where Silver spoons and silver tongs and many other objects used In the ghost of the Tokaido inn page 200-201 Seikei sees all the utensils set neatly on the floor next to the shogun he realizes that the bowl resembles the natural object related to nature. The ground tea leaves where held in a shiny lacquer box for when ready to make tea.

How They Made Tea

The making of tea is a very important ritual. While the water boils, the host serves the guest a small snack. This process is all done in silence it is meant to bring the feelings of the guests and host into peace and harmony. The tea is made using
boiling water and the powdered tea of choice. The tea is stirred until a dark murky color is achieved (for green tea). The guests have a conversation and the tea is served at the end then the ceremony is over and the process is repeated for the next tea making.





Citations

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